Coin Highlights

Description

The British Virgin Islands Government has approved the release of a series of three stunning coins which commemorate the 60th Anniversary of D-Day on 6th June 2004.

During the first part of 1944, land, naval and air forces were brought together to prepare for Operation Overlord, the assault on Hitler’s forces in Europe. While the Soviet Union tied down a large portion of the enemy’s forces, the Allies marshalled their resources, trained their forces and fine tuned the invasion plans. On 5th June 1944, the French Resistance were notified that the invasion was imminent, signalling the underground to start dynamiting the railways and before midnight, Allied planes began bombing the Normandy coast.

The invasion itself consisted mainly of ground forces but air and sea components also had major roles. Allied air forces protected the force as it crossed the English Channel and attacked targets before and after the landing in support. More than 5,000 ships escorted and landed the assault force along the Normandy coast. Once the force was landed, naval gunfire provided support for the soldiers as the fought their way across the beaches. Allied forces landed on Gold, Juno, Sword, Utah and Omaha beaches and as the Allies came ashore, they took the first steps on the final road to victory in Europe.

The three superb coins each represent one of the three forces – land, naval and air and show the diversity of the men from all parts of the world who took part in this glorious assault: This coin portrays a West Indian Airman above a tableau depicting a Spitfire flying above a flotilla.